Gull ID - East Highland, Scotland

[Xurek]

Hello all,

I heard that there was a Glaucous Gull hanging around the fish factory a couple miles from me and I went to see if I could find it. I found something, I think, see pictures below. I'm very new to this Gull ID malarkey but I'm trying my best.

The bird on the left in the first picture is the one I locked on to(is the one on the right a 1st-winter Herring gull?), large, overall very pale looking, pink beak with obvious black tip, unfortunately the weather was miserable today and the bird was quite far away so I know the pictures are poor and this was the only decent view I had before I lost it amongst the horde, but any help appreciated.

Had a quick glimpse of the gull in the 3rd picture it was the beak that interested me the most, fiery orange, black and yellow, no idea what that one was.

So have I found a Glaucous Gull in the first two pics and what age? and what is in the 3rd pic?

[tigertom]

Birds in pic 1 and one on left in pic2 I would say is a 1st winter glaucous gull, gull on right in pic 2 I think is 1st winter herring gull; not sure on 3rd pic
MIKE

[Xurek]

Thank you for your response Mike

[RoyW]

The gull on the left in the left hand photo, and in the middle photo, does look like an immature Glaucous Gull (1st or 2nd winter - it's difficult to say which), but a hybrid can't be ruled out from these shots.

The right bird in the left hand photo looks like a 1st winter Lesser Black-backed Gull to me (but possibly a 2nd winter - or a Herring Gull of either age), and the sliver of pale grey mantle visible on the bird in the right hand photo suggests that it is a 3rd or 4th winter Herring Gull.

These aren't the best angles for easy ID's!

[Jonathan]

There seems to have been somewhat of an influx of white-winged gulls in northern Britain and Ireland in recent days. We found a dozen Icelands and two Glaucs in Argyll over the weekend. Your nearest landfill beckons . . .

Cheers
Jonathan

[Xurek]

Thanks for your response RoyW and yes the angles are a bit rubbish aren't they?

Yeah it seems that way Jonathon, there have been a couple Iceland Gulls reported locally here too.